Costa Rica legalised same-sex marriage on Tuesday, May 16. At the stroke of midnight, couple Aritza Araya Arguedas and Alexandra Quirós Castillo became the first same-sex pair to legally tie the knot in the country.

The couple said ‘I do’ in San Isidro de Heredia, a town outside the capital, San Jose. The momentous wedding was broadcast on national television and live streamed on Facebook. Approximately 10 000 viewers from around the world tuned in to be a part of this historical moment.

“You have begun in law what has existed in love,” said officiant Ana Cecilia Castro Calzada. “We celebrate and honour this journey that you have made together as life companions in hope of a day like today: historic for you two and for Costa Rica.”

Take a look at the nuptials below:

Costa Rica is the first country in Central America and the sixth in Latin America to legalise same-sex marriage. Other Latin American countries where same-sex marriage is legal include Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay and some parts of Mexico.

The legalisation of same-sex marriage in Costa Rica comes after a years-long campaign spearheaded by pro-marriage-equality group Sí, Acepto. In August 2018,  the constitutional court in Costa Rica declared that the ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional and discriminatory, and gave congress 18 months to change the law or else it would automatically happen. As the Legislative Assembly did not act, the ban was automatically nullified on May 26.

Feature image: screenshot from livestream